New Media

Matt McGarry and Kolby Hatch
  • 5.0 (39)
  • ENTREPRENEURSHIP
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

New Media is a podcast for founders and creators building independent media businesses. We explore how to grow and monetize audiences without depending on algorithms, advertising, and platforms you don't control. Each episode shares practical insights on building profitable media and education businesses.  A GrowLetter podcast, hosted by Matt McGarry and Kolby Hatch. 

  1. 3D AGO

    How Trade Shows Make Millions

    Brent Davidson built a 500-person trade show for HVAC contractors from scratch — and in this episode, he breaks down the business model behind it: how exhibitors and sponsors pay the bills, how to design attendee flow, and why in-person marketplaces are more durable than anything algorithm-dependent. Matt and Kolby dig into the operational side of running a trade show — from booth pricing and venue logistics to speaker strategy and influencer relationships. If you're thinking about events as a media business model, this is the blueprint. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction & What Is the US Heat Pump Summit 02:12 Why Build a Trade Show  05:15 Trade Shows vs. Conferences 07:03 Ticket Pricing, Booth Costs & Revenue Model 09:39 Balancing Attendee Tickets With Exhibitor Value 11:29 Vendor Tickets 13:13 The Role of Media & Content in Growing the Event 17:41 How Brent Sells Tickets 19:26 Post-Purchase Surveys  21:27 HVAC Influencers  24:28 Should Influencers Attend the Event to Drive Tickets? 26:34 Promo Codes, Measurability & Implied Endorsement 28:35 Audience-Event Fit 30:29 Getting Your First Sponsors & Exhibitors 32:35 Proving ROI to Sponsors  35:02 What Other Trade Show Opportunities Exist Right Now 37:35 Hosted Buyer Programs & The Hidden Revenue Model 38:16 How Big Can the Heat Pump Summit Get? 41:24 Exit Strategies & Building an Event Conglomerate 43:52 Private Equity in the Trades & the Blue Parachute Idea 44:10 Mike Rowe & the Role of Celebrity at Trade Events 47:23 Final Advice 🔗 Connect with Brent Davidson: LinkedIn US Heat Pump Summit 🐝 Looking for the best newsletter and email marketing platform? Beehiiv is what I use and recommend: Click here to get a discount through my referral link.

    52 min

  2. 5D AGO

    The Substack TRAP, Why Creators Plateau, How To Create Frameworks

    In today’s episode, we sit down with Matt Ragland to break down how top creators actually build leverage, grow audiences, and scale sustainable media businesses. We dive into frameworks that make you memorable, the reality of plateauing on YouTube, and how to evolve from solo creator to true operator. Matt also shares lessons from working behind the scenes with some of the biggest names in newsletters and creator education. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Matt Ragland 03:42 Why Every Creator Needs a Framework 07:19 The Gap & Wrap System Explained 10:34 What Makes a Framework Actually Work 13:48 How Frameworks Drive Content & Growth 16:36 Types of Frameworks (Acronyms, Visuals, Mental Models) 20:05 The Real Shift: From Creator to Operator 25:55 Why Growth Plateaus (And What Changes Next) 31:28 The Truth About YouTube Growth Today 36:41 The Substack Trap (And Why Most People Get It Wrong) 🔗 Connect with Matt Ragland: MattRagland.comMatt's YouTube Channel🐝 Looking for the best newsletter and email marketing platform? Beehiiv is what I use and recommend: Click here to get a discount through my referral link.

    41 min

  3. MAR 26

    $6M Newsletter With 1 Employee, HubSpot Buys Starter Story, $500k/Month WITHOUT Ads

    In today’s episode we break down four media companies including Breaking Points, Starter Story, Lenny's Newsletter, and Colin and Samir's creator summit, pulling out what's working, what's being left on the table, and what every media founder should take notes on. Plus, we get into the AI slop debate and what it actually means for creators trying to build something real. Timestamps: 00:00 Overview of Topics 01:04 Breaking Points: A Case Study in New Media Success 13:39 Starter Story's Acquisition by HubSpot 24:15 Lenny's Newsletter: A B2B Creator's Journey 33:30 Colin and Samir's LA Creator Summit 35:03 The Importance of Marketing for Creators 37:14 How To Make A Great Event 43:17 Monetization Strategies for Events 49:58 The Rise of AI-Generated Content 57:02 Navigating the Future of AI in Media 🔗 Resources Mentioned: Breaking Points Starter Story Lenny's Newsletter Colin and Samir's LA Creator Summit 🐝 Looking for the best newsletter and email marketing platform? Beehiiv is what I use and recommend: Click here to get a discount through my referral link.

    1h 8m

  4. MAR 24

    New Media in 2026: What Actually Works

    Welcome to the first episode of the New Media Podcast with Matt McGarry and Kolby Hatch. In this episode, we break down the business of media—from newsletters and YouTube to events and monetization strategies. We also dive into lessons from New Media Summit, building profitable media companies, and what’s actually working right now. If you’re building in the creator economy, this is the behind-the-scenes conversation you don’t usually hear. 🍿 Watch on YouTube here. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to New Media Podcast 02:19 Inside the New Media Summit 04:08 How Event Businesses Actually Make Money 06:32 Sponsorships & Revenue Streams Explained 08:23 Why Audience Engagement Matters More Than Ever 10:47 The Truth About Growing a Podcast 13:15 Why Most Content Fails (And What Works Instead) 16:01 Where New Media Is Heading 27:25 How Storytelling Shapes Media Success 28:10 Lessons From Past Media Trends 31:44 Gated Content: Smart Strategy or Bad UX? 39:07 Email Growth Hacks & Automation Strategies 44:59 Sponsorships Are Changing—Here’s How 52:42 Is Email Marketing Still Worth It? 55:31 Why Organic Subscribers Are 10x More Valuable 57:40 The Real Business Models Behind Newsletters 58:29 Are Newsletters Dead or Evolving? 01:02:45 Why Conferences Are a Massive Opportunity 01:04:11 IRL > URL: The Power of In-Person Networking 01:06:54 Why Big Events Are Declining 01:12:11 Building Community Through Local Events Check out Dylan's newsletter here! 🐝 Looking for the best newsletter and email marketing platform? Beehiiv is what I use and recommend: Click here to get a discount through my referral link.

    1h 21m

  5. MAR 17

    UPDATE: We’re relaunching this podcast with a new name

    In this episode, I share an important update about the future of the podcast as we relaunch with a new name and direction. While the show started focused on newsletters and email marketing, the new version will expand into helping you build an independent media, education, or creator business. We'll be covering audience growth, newsletters, monetization, and the strategies behind modern media companies.  Subscribe to the video version of the podcast and our YouTube channel here.

    1 min

  6. MAR 12

    5 Frameworks That Made My Clients $100M+

    Get the slides and resources mentioned from this episode linked here.  In this video, I break down the 5 frameworks that helped my clients generate over $100 million in sales from email. These are the exact strategies top media, education, and creator businesses use to grow their email list, boost open rates and click-through rates, and drive more sales. Timestamps: 00:00: Introduction 01:16: Framework #1: The MAGIC Formula (turn social followers into email subscribers) 15:22: Framework #2: First-Party Data & SMS 19:11: Framework #3: The WE-PAC Welcome Email 25:56: Framework #4: The Deliverability Detox 30:37: Framework #5: The Newsletter Flywheel Other Resources: 🎤 Purchase recordings from our conference with speakers like Codie Sanchez, Ryan Deiss, and 15+ more: https://recording.newmediasummit.com/ 🐝 Looking for the best newsletter and email marketing platform? beehiiv is what I use and recommend: https://www.beehiiv.com/?via=matt-mcgarry

    39 min

  7. FEB 21

    How To Build a 7-Figure Membership Business

    Learn more about Uscreen https://www.uscreen.tv/ In this episode, I sit down with Allison Yazdian, CEO of Uscreen, to break down how creators can build scalable, recurring revenue with video-first memberships. We cover what makes a compelling offer, how to price and tier it, and the features that drive engagement and retention. Allison shares real examples of creators generating millions through subscriptions, live streams, and community. If you want to own your audience and turn content into predictable monthly revenue, this is a must-watch. Connect with Allison on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonyazdian/ Timestamps: 00:00: Meet Allison Yazdian (CEO of Uscreen) 01:20: What Uscreen Does 04:00: How Creators Make Money with Memberships 06:00: Big Creators Using Uscreen 09:00: Why Memberships Beat Ads & One-Off Products 12:00: What Makes a Great Membership Offer 16:00: Free Tiers, Trials & Entry Offers 18:00: Pricing Strategy & Benchmarks 22:00: Structuring Your Membership Tiers 24:30: Must-Have Features (Community, Live, Challenges) 27:30: How to Market & Sell Your Membership 31:30: Onboarding New Members the Right Way 33:30: Reducing Churn & Increasing Retention 36:00: One Thing That Improves Retention Fast 38:00: Who Uscreen Is Best For + How to Get Started Other Resources: 🎤 Pre-order recordings from our conference with speakers like Codie Sanchez, Ryan Deiss, and 15+ more: https://recording.newmediasummit.com/

    49 min

  8. FEB 19

    The #1 Monetization Model Publishers and Creators Miss!

    Learn more about Ezoic: https://www.ezoic.com/ I sit down with Gavin Bechtold (Ezoic) to reveal how publishers, creators, and newsletter operators are leaving serious money on the table by ignoring website monetization. We break down programmatic ads, first-party data, and how sending traffic back to your site can dramatically increase subscriber lifetime value. If you run a newsletter or media business, this episode will change how you think about traffic and revenue. Connect with Gavin directly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gavinbechtold/ Timestamps: 00:00: Intro & why website traffic is overlooked 05:47: Website vs. newsletter monetization 12:50: What RPMs can you actually expect? 16:46: Myth busting: Do ads hurt user experience? 29:21: How first-party data increases ad revenue 36:56: Who Ezoic is a good fit for More Resources: 🎤 Pre-order recordings from New Media Summit with speakers like Codie Sanchez, Ryan Deiss, and 15+ more:  https://recording.newmediasummit.com/ 📧 Join my free newsletter here:  https://www.newsletteroperator.com/subscribe

    39 min
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5
out of 5
39 Ratings

About

New Media is a podcast for founders and creators building independent media businesses. We explore how to grow and monetize audiences without depending on algorithms, advertising, and platforms you don't control. Each episode shares practical insights on building profitable media and education businesses.  A GrowLetter podcast, hosted by Matt McGarry and Kolby Hatch. 

Information

  • Creator
    Matt McGarry and Kolby Hatch
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    97
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Grow Letter Media, LCC
  • Show Website
    New Media

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